Patience and time are twins. Jean de la Fontaine once said, “Patience and the passage of time do more than strength and fury.”
That passage contains wisdom and wisdom comes with mental and emotional maturity. It is saying that the quietness, humility, gentleness and forbearance of patience produces peace and love and, over the passage of time, is far more powerful than brute strength and unrestrained anger.
When you feel you are drowning in a sea of people and technology it is important to slow down and be patient for a moment or two. In a world that wants everything yesterday, it means drawing back from the frenetic pace of life and taking time to be alone so your mind and body can enjoy quietness and stillness for a while. Spend a little of the most valuable commodity any one of us has – time – and appreciate things as they are. Take advantage of the downtime and the discipline of patience to observe yourself, identify problems, work out solutions and appreciate the relaxation that solitude brings. Often, the root of the problem is identified and a solution found. Many a difficulty has been swept away when you are placid, without the stress that would normally be part of your life. Quiet times provide a way of reorganising your time and rebuilding patience. The process will take its time but you are less likely to react to everything life throws at you when you are able to remain calm in the face of difficulties.
We have an inherent tendency to want things immediately, when we want or need them. There is, however, a law of sowing and reaping which says we must first plant, generally in winter, allow the plants to grow strong and tall through spring rains, guarding them against weeds and insect attacks and patiently waiting until the conditions are right and it is time for the harvest in summer. It does the farmer no good to dig up the seed the day after planting to see if the seed is growing and it will do no good to harvest the crop too early, for if that happens, the crop must be ploughed back into the soil and the farmer will need to wait until planting time comes around to begin again. Without all the effort of planting, watering and nurturing, the seed cannot develop roots, appear above the ground and grow to maturity; and it cannot do it in a day – it takes time and the right elements before it can produce its own seed.
If you have done your part, with patience and through rough times, results will appear at the right time; that is a natural law. It is your attitude of patience and understanding, moulded over time, which will see you through.
If you want to lose weight, it will take time, probably a month or so. If you want to swim 1500 metres it will take time to get fit enough to try it and a lot of patience swimming up and down the pool day after day until you know you are ready. If you want to change your life in any major way, it will take time. Time and patience are critical elements of success.